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Party elections tear NRM in Jinja
Newly elected Jinja Municipality NRM chairman Igeme Nabeta
A power struggle has erupted among NRM big wigs in Jinja, pitting people supporting NRM party big wigs against each other.
The main contest is between the NRM district Chairperson Moses Grace Balyeku and Nathan Igeme Nabeta.
In a bloody contest, a former member of parliament for Jinja Municipality East constituency beat sitting MP of the Jinja Municipality West Moses Balyeku constituency with 242 votes against 197 for Jinja district NRM Chairman.
However the discontented legislator, hitherto, the NRM chairman Jinja has vowed not to hand over the office to Nabeta unless fresh free and fair elections are organized.
He says the elections were marred with violence, voter bribery, ballot stuffing and intimidation of voters.
He threatened to drag the NRM electoral commission to courts of law if his pleas are not considered.
He especially accused the Minister of lands Housing and Urban Development Daudi Migereko and the RDC of Buvuma District Richard Gulume Balyainho for masterminds the irregularities in the Thursday elections.
Balyeku says the battle lines are drawn and he vowed to put up a fist fight to ensure that Igeme does not assume and elude all dirty political actors out of Jinja.
“If it means deploying and using mafias, I believe I have them more than Igeme and now the town is bound to hit up” he said
Meanwhile Balyeku declines the nomination of anybody for the office of Vice Chairman since Majid Dhikusooka was legally duly nominated and nominations were closed.
When contacted, Nabeeta said was already in office trying to arrange and organize whatever had been disorganized during Balyeku’s era immediately and entrusted by the mandate of the people.
He asked Balyeku’s side to respond to the people’s voice by joining him to collectively serve the party.
He encourages whoever is willing to contest for any position in the NRM structures starting with District vice Chairman to feel free to join the race on Tuesday nest week.
However, Jinja district NRM registrar Paul Kiwanuka and a one Stanley Bayoole who presided over the elections maintain that there was no any irregularity.
“Our role was majorly at the polling centre which was Kakindu stadium, if there were irregularities before Kakindu, the former chairperson would have complained before polls but I am surprised that he is bursting after losing the election” Kiwanuka said.
Stephen Mutasa, the councillor representing people with disabilities on Jinja district local council who was a delegate asked Mr Balyeku to respect the party and the decisions of party members.
“If there was any case of voter bribery as alleged, then that must be him because that has always been his wining tactic, now that it did not work, he thinks the opponent used the same” he said.
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